Acoustic Beam Steering for Localized Autonomous Vehicle Alerts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in effectively alerting pedestrians and other road users due to sub-optimal acoustic radiation patterns of conventional horns, which can be difficult to localize and may distract pedestrians. Additionally, electric and hybrid vehicles produce low noise levels, making them hard to detect audibly.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an acoustic beam steering array in autonomous vehicles, which uses a planner system, sensor system, and localization system to detect objects and calculate their coordinates. This system then steers acoustic energy beams towards specific objects, allowing for targeted and socially acceptable alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional horn is used to alert pedestrians, then the vehicle can issue an audible alert, but the acoustic radiation pattern is sub-optimal making it difficult to localize the source and potentially distracting pedestrians
Solution Approach 1:
The horn is divided into multiple acoustic sources arranged in an array configuration. Each source can be independently controlled to emit sound waves with specific phases and amplitudes, enabling the creation of directed acoustic beams rather than omnidirectional radiation patterns
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the acoustic array are assigned different functional characteristics. The sources are configured to create focused acoustic energy in specific directions toward detected objects, while minimizing radiation in other directions, thereby achieving localized alerting with improved source localization
2Reliability
If a conventional horn is used to alert pedestrians, then the vehicle can issue an audible alert, but other pedestrians or drivers may believe the horn is being honked at them causing social friction
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic array directs sound energy precisely toward the detected object using phase and amplitude control of individual sources. This creates a focused alert that is spatially targeted, reducing the likelihood that other pedestrians or drivers will perceive the horn as being directed at them, thereby minimizing social friction
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor data (camera, LIDAR, radar) as an intermediary to identify and locate the specific object requiring alerting. This intermediary information allows the acoustic system to target the alert accurately, avoiding unnecessary alerting of unrelated individuals and reducing social friction
3Use of energy by moving object
If electric or hybrid propulsion systems are used, then energy efficiency is improved, but the vehicle becomes difficult to audibly detect due to low noise levels
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic alert system operates periodically or on-demand based on detected conditions rather than continuously. The system monitors the environment using sensors and activates the acoustic array only when objects are detected that require alerting, maintaining energy efficiency while providing audible detectability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic energy is concentrated into directed beams toward specific objects rather than being radiated uniformly in all directions. This focused approach allows the electric vehicle to achieve effective audible detectability with lower overall noise levels, maintaining energy efficiency while improving safety
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The acoustic beam steering system enables autonomous vehicles to provide clear, localized, and socially acceptable alerts to pedestrians and other road users, improving safety by reducing the risk of collisions and close passes.
Implementation Method 1
a processor of the array causes the array to generate the beam of steered acoustic energy
Implementation Method 2
a horn will typically have an acoustic radiation pattern that is sub-optimal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
Systems and methods implemented in algorithms, software, firmware, logic, or circuitry may be configured to process data to determine whether an object external to an autonomous vehicle is a person (e.g., such as a pedestrian) or other classification (e.g., such as a vehicle), and may be further configured to determine a position of the person relative to the autonomous vehicle. Logic may be configured to direct acoustic energy (e.g., via vehicular acoustic beam- forming) to an object external to the autonomous vehicle as an audible acoustic alert. The vehicle- related acoustic beam may be directed to a driver in another vehicle. Logic may be configured to track the motion of external objects, such as a pedestrian crossing from one side of the street to the other, and may correspondingly steer the direction of the vehicle-related acoustic beam(s) to track the person's movement.